Power feed mechanism for machine tools



Aug. 25, 1953 J. REMMEN POWER FEED MECHANISM FOR MACHINE TOOLS 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 12, 1949 INVENTOR.

Aug. 25, 1953 .1. REMMEN 2,649,646

POWER FEED MECHANISM FOR MACHINE TOOLS Filed Oct. 12, 1949 a Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Aug. 25, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE POWER- FEED MECHANISM FOR MACHINE TOOLS 6 5 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in feed mechanism for power saws and the like which is adapted to maintain substantially constant load on the motor, and it is among the objects thereof to provide hydraulic actuating means for feeding power tools which may be electrically or hydraulically controlled to be automatically responsive to the load on the tool to regulate the rate of feeding.

The invention will become more apparent from a consideration of the accompanying drawings, constitutin a part hereof, in which 1ike reference characters designate like parts, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view, partially in cross section, of a power driven saw embodying the principles of this invention;

Fig. 2 a diagrammatic view of an hydraulic operating and control mechanism for feeding the saw in its cutting movements;

Fig. 3 a top plan View of the power saw of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 a longitudinal cross sectional view of an hydraulic feed mechanism;

Fig. 5 a cross sectional view, partially in elevation, of a modified form of hydraulic feed mechanism;

Fig. 6 a vertical cross sectional view partially in elevation of an hydraulic operating cylinder and piston;

Fig. 7 a cross sectional view of a modified form of hydraulic feed mechanism; and

Fig. 8 a diagrammatic view of the operating cylinder and control mechanism therefor.

With reference to Figs. 1 and 3 of the drawing, numeral 1 designates a support on which is mounted a machine base 2 for pivotally supporting a beam 3 by a pivot bearing 4. Beam 3 has a restricted portion 5 connected by a wrist pin 6 to a piston rod 1 of a piston 8, Fig. 6. The piston 8 has an area 9 double that of the area giving a two to one ratio of the pressure differential on opposite sides of the piston if the pressure in lines II and I2 leading to the cylinder I3 is equal. The cylinder [3 is mounted on the base 2 as shown in Fig. 1.

Mounted on the beam 3 is a motor l4 having one end of its shaft journaled in a cradle bearing l which is secured by bolts l6. By removing bolts 16 bearing l5 may be turned 180 to provide clearance to remove the V-belts from a pulley l1. Pulley l1 carries V-belts 18 that are mounted in V-grooves of a pulley [9 on shaft 20 that carries a cutting saw 2|. The pressure fluid for operating piston 8 to tilt the feed beam 3 downward in its cutting movement to feed the saw 2| to the work is supplied by a pressure tank 22, Fig. 8, which contains oil under pressure, an air pump 23 driven by a motor 24 supplying the air pressure to the tank 22, and an oil pump 25 driven by a motor 26 supplying the oil to tank 22 from a sump 21, a check valve 28 being interposed in the line 29 between the tank 22 and the pump 25.

The pressure fluid from tank 22 is directed to the hydraulic feed mechanism or cylinder [3 and automatically regulated by an hydraulic valve generally designated by the numeral 30, having a solenoid 3| connected by lines 32 and 33 to the main leads of the motor M. The valve 30, which is more clearly shown in Fig. 7, consists of a valve housing 34 and a spool valve 35. A ported sleeve 33 in housing 34 constitutes the valve chamber which through the port 31 is connected to the source of pressure fluid by the threaded connection 38 to the flow line 39, Fig. 8. One end of the valve chamber is provided with a flow connection 40 to line 4|, Fig. 8, the line 4| joining the main feed line 39, as shown. The threaded connection 43 of the valve housing, Fig. 7, connects the flow line 44 to a solenoid operated fourway valve 45 having a flow connection 46 to the bottom of the cylinder l3. A by-pass connection 41 connects the main line 39 with the upper side of cylinder l3, a regulating needle valve 48 and a check valve 49 being provided in the by-pass line. Check valve 49 is open for full flow to cylinder l3. A stop valve 50 is provided in line 39 and a return line 5| connects the valve chamber to a relief passage 52 of the valve 34 for returning the pressure fluid to the sump 21, Fig. 8.

Valve 35 is provided with a valve stem 53 on which is mounted an armature 54 that is actuated by solenoid 3|, and valve 35 is also provided with a valve stem 55 carrying a coil spring 56 that preloads the valve 35 to normally maintain it in the position where the pressure feed connection 38 is open to the cylinder feed line 43, as shown in Fig. 7. Spring 56 is disposed around a sleeve 51 and may be adjusted by means of a flanged washer 58 and adjusting nuts 59 and 60, the adjustment and strength of the spring determining the load at which the solenoid 3| is operative to move the valve to its port closing position. For convenience the valve ports are numbered 31, 31a, 31b and 310, Fig. 7.

As shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings, the gland 5'! communicates with the end port 310 by a by-pass connection Bl to equalize the pressure a on both ends of valve to make it a pressure balanced valve.

With reference to Figs. 4 and 2 of the drawings, the valve housing 3 3, instead of being provided with a solenoid like the valve in Fig. 7, is provided with a fluid pressure chamber 62 having a threaded connection 53 with the pressure feed line 44 that is connected with the gland 37a as sho'wnlin Fig. 2, through line 64, Fig. 2. The same by-pass connection 6|, as shown in Fig. 5, maintains equal pressures on both ends of the spool valve 35. An adjustable loading spring 65 acts on the valve stemffiBfFig.*4,"the tension on the spring being adjustable by "a"s"e't screw 51. In Fig. 4 the valve stem Bi i co nstitutes a piston that is responsive immerses-are in chamber 62.

The operation of the above described mechanism is briefly as follows:

The motor M is energized to drive the saw ?|"by'the'V belt drive I8. Pressure fluid issup- "pueuto theifee'd operating cylinder 13 by energizingthe solenoid 'v'ali'ie'45. In the use of the type of valve illustrated in Fig. 7 and connected as "shownin Fig. 8, the pressure fluid maintained in the tank 22' is delivered through line '39, Fig. 8, with stop valve 56 opened, and passes through-the line to the upper end of the piston 8. This pressure fluid is constantly" applied to the upper area it" of piston 8. Itis also sup- "plied to the lower face 9 of piston Bby the spool .valve mechanism SOjFig. 8, by passing through the/inlet tfijport S'I'and out through'the port 31a to the'outlet connection'dii, from which it passes through the line, the four-way valve .45, line .46" to the cylinder feed line l2. Since the effective; .piston area fiisdouble that of the pistonl'area NJ, the piston 8 will be raised to cause the feed arm'3 to tilt on the trunnion bearing '4,.moving the saw downward in the direction'ofjthe' Work. f If the rate of feed is such as to appreciably increase the torque "on the mo- .tor. M, or in other words, if the load on the saw .inoreasesthe current of the motor windings, solenoid ,3], which is connected to the motor leads bythe lin'es.:32 and 33, Fig. 8, will become ,energizedto' move the spool valve 35' to'the right, as, viewed. in Fig,.'7' of .the drawings; "to shut off port-31a, thus shutting off or reducingthepres- .sure fluid supplied to cylinder '43 through line ,l 2 to stop or reduce the feeding pressure until the sawghas put itself. free, thus reducing the loadon the motor M. If the-gland controlling port 31a overtravels, so as to leave pressure from part 37 inbetween the two glands of the spool valve, it Will berelievedthrough the outlet 52. :By properadjustment of the spring" '56, .the loadonnvalve 35 at which solenoid 3|. is er- .fective to move the valve maybe predetermined, this load being the load thatyd'etermines the proper feeding rate of the saw at which motor l4 will operate at substantially constant torque. In the form of valve shown in Figs. 2 and '4, where no solenoid is employed, the feed mechanism is responsive to load variations to 'regulate. the load on the motor by virtue of the'fact that when resistanceto the piston 8 increases, due to increased load 'orijthesaw, the pressure Will build up in'thelinbdfthd in chamber '62 to 'actuatthepistbrl '68 offvalve 35' to' move the valve to the right as 'view'ed'in' Fig. 4of the drawings, against the action of the coilspring 65} It is thus seen that automatic fedbofitrol "ed on said base, a cutting tool mounted on an extended "endof said beam, an electric motor Tm'our'it'ed on said beam for driving said tool, an

hydraulic actuator for tilting said beam to feed the"tool"i-n-its cutting movement, said actuator includ irrg ,acylinder, a piston in said cylinder for inaintainingconstant'load on the'm'otor' may connected to theo'ther end of said beam, and a sourceof pressure fluid for said actuator communicating with said cylinder on one side of the piston to maintain constant-pressure on said 'p'iston'in 'the direction to retract said beam, and valve. mechanism for controlling the-application-oi the pressure fluid to the opposite side of said actuator piston to actuate said beam in the direction of feeding the tool, said valve mechanism including electromagnetic means for actuatingsaid valve to control theap'pl'ication "of the pressure fluid, said electromagnetic 'nieans being electrically connected in the motor "circuit to beenerg'izdin response 'to'variati'ons in the motor E. M. Flier varying the feedingpres- Sure On the tool to'maiiitain a Substantially constant load on the'i'notor.

2. In a power feed mechanism Ior machine "teas or'the likef a base", a beain pivotal'ly mounted on said base,"a cuttihg'tool mounted on an"extended end oi said"b'ea"m, an electric motor 'mounted on said beam for' driving 'said'toohan hydraulic actuator'for tilting" said beam to feed the tool in its cuttinginov'ement, "said'a'ctuator including" a' cylinder, a pistonim said cylinder connected to the other end of said beam, and" a sourceof' pre'ssure"iiuid' for said actuator communicating with said cylindelf'bn one-sideof the 'pistonto'maintain c'onst antpressure on saidpis- 'ton inthe"-"direction to re'tractsaid beam,"and valve mechanism for controlling thefapplieation 'oj ft'hefjpressiire' fluid to the opposite side of said actuator piston toactuatesa'idbeam in the direction of. teeding the tool, said pisto'n"b'eing'of "greatereii'ective areaonfthe toolfeeding" side and said va lve n echariisminclu'ding electromagnetic "rrieans"'jfor'actuating' s'a'id"valve*to control the application oijthe press'ure fluid," said electroniaigrie'tic hi ans being 'el'ectrica'llyconnected in the motor circuitfto beiehiergji'zed in respohseto 'vai'iatioh sff in the mfctor F. for varying'the feed i' ngfpressure on 't' hetool'to maintain as'ubs'tan'tially constant "on-the in'otbr.

d In a r'Jowerf -feed"mechanism for machine the r the like, a base', a beam"pivotallymounted o sa d base, a cutting tool mountedbn' an extended end of jsaidbe'am, an electric motor jii ount'edfon aid beam 'f or driving said tooljan hydraulic c'tiiatorfor tiltingsaid 'beamto feed the tool in itscutting movement; said actuator a "cylinder, afpi'ston "in'said "cylir'ider connected tothe other-end of said-beam; "and' a "sourc o'f pressure'ffluid' for said actuator communicating with "cylinder on one side of? the piston rnz'rintai W constant pressure'on saidip'is- {ton in; the direction we fr'etract fsaid beam; and valverhechanisrri for dntrollihgfthe application the'pres'sure fluid to 'the op'po'site sneer-sad actuator piston to ac'tuate'saiwbam iir the direction of feeding the tool, said valve mechanism comprising a valve housing having an inlet port connected to the pressure source and having an outlet port connected to the feeding side of the actuator cylinder, a valve movable in said housing normally biased to the open position to efiect connection of the pressure source with the hydraulic actuator and said valve having a piston disposed in the pressure chamber of said valve housing, said chamber being connected in communication with the outlet port of the valve housing to actuate the valve piston in response to the fluid pressure acting on the hydraulic actuator to move the valve to closed position when the pressure in the actuator exceeds a predetermined amount.

4. In a power feed mechanism for machine tools or the like, a base, a beam pivotally mounted on said base, a cutting tool mounted on an extended end of said berm, an electric motor ;mounted on said beam for driving said tool, an

hydraulic actuator for tilting said beam to feed the tool in its cutting movement, said actuator including a cylinder, a piston in said cylinder connected to the other end of said beam, and a source of pressure fiuid for said actuator communicatin with said cylinder on one side of the piston to maintain constant pressure on said piston in the direction to retract said beam, and valve mechanism for controlling the application of the pressure fluid to the opposite side of said actuator piston to actuate said beam in the direction of feeding the tool, said valve mechanism comprising a valve housing having a spool valve slidably mounted therein, said housing having inlet and outlet ports controlled by the valve and said valve being normally biased to open position to expose the hydraulic actuator to the pressure fluid, said valve being adapted to be per se actuated by the pressure fluid delivered to the hydraulic actuator to close the valve when the pressure on the actuator piston is greater than the force of the valve biasing means.

5. In a power feed mechanism for machine tools or the like, a base, a beam pivotally mounted on said base, a cutting tool mounted on an extended end of said beam, an electric motor mounted on said beam for driving said tool, an hydraulic actuator for tilting said beam to feed the tool in its cutting movement, said actuator including a cylinder, a piston in said cylinder connected to the other end of said beam, and a source of pressure fluid for said actuator communicating with said cylinder on one side of the piston to maintain constant pressure on said piston in the direction to retract said beam, and valve mechanism for controlling the application of the pressure fluid to the opposite side of said actuator piston to actuate said beam in the direction of feeding the tool, said valve mechanism comprising a valve housing, a spool valve slidably mounted therein, a spring normally biasing the spool valve to the open position and a solenoid for moving said valve to the closed position, said housing having inlet and outlet connections com municating with the source of pressure fluid and with the hydraulic actuator cylinder, respectively, said solenoid being electrically connected in the motor circuit to be energized in response to variations in the E. M. F. of the motor.

J ORGEN REMMEN.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

